Watson wants to come home to prepare for Test season

STAR all-rounder Shane Watson is about to pull up stumps on the Champions League tournament in South Africa.

The 31-year-old made a slashing 46 from 30 balls for the Sydney Sixers in their 14-run against the Chennai Super Kings in round one, but Cricket Australia boss James Sutherland yesterday all but confirmed Watson was wanted back in Australia to prepare for the coming Test series against South Africa.

"I think it's reasonably well known that it's likely he won't see the tournament out," Sutherland said yesterday.

"We're concerned about Shane. His injury record is unfortunate and what that tells us is that we need to monitor him and manage him very carefully ... and we are."

Watson will definitely be in the Sixers team to play Yorkshire in Cape Town tonight (Australian time), and is also expected to line up against the Highveld Lions at the same venue on Thursday night.

He is then likely to to return to Australia and would miss the final group match against the Mumbai Indians on Monday.

The Perth Scorchers' next match is against Kolkata early on Thursday morning (Australian time).